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Ethical Dilemma Questions 1-6, and 8-13


 * 1) Identify the ethical dilemma the teacher must resolve.
 * 2) “You are a first year high school teacher. One your second day of work, the principal approaches you with your sixth period roster in his hand, points to a name and says, “This is our star football player. He won’t be coming to your class but you give him an A. “What should you do?”
 * 3) The teacher must decide if she will give the student the grade he earns in her class, (which may result in a failing grade if he is not attending class) or give him the A so that he can play football regardless of his academics.
 * 4) Specify the specific standard(s) in the Texas Code of Ethics to which this dilemma relates.
 * 5) This dilemma relates to Standard 1.6 - The educator shall not falsify records, or direct or coerce others to do so. - The principle is asking her to falsify the student’s grades.
 * 6) The dilemma may relate to Standard 1.1- The educator shall not knowingly engage in deceptive practices regarding official policies of the school district or educational institution. - or Standard 1.7- The educator shall comply with state regulations, written local school board policies and other applicable state and federal laws. -if the school or district has policies that students must be passing classes in order to participate in extracurricular activities
 * 7) The Educational Opportunity Act of 1984 signed by Gov. Mark White (House Bill 72) has provisions in it for the No-Pass/No-Play policies, which are enforced through the UIL.
 * 8) Identify the ethically relevant issues to which the ethical dilemma relates.
 * 9) The dilemma relates to the relationship between academics and extracurricular activities; which one is more important according to schools, society, and government.
 * 10) Identify all persons or groups that need to be considered.
 * 11) The //student// athlete is directly affected by the teacher's decision. Other students may be affected by the long-term outcome of the teacher's decision.
 * 12) Other //teachers// need to be considered because they may be asked to work as a team to come up with a solution, and the outcome of this situation will affect them by setting a precedent. "Teachers" would include the student's coach.
 * 13) People that work for the school //administration// may be called upon to come up with a long-term solution to situations like this through legislation.
 * 14) //Parents' //reactions and support will influence the way events play out because of their role in the students' lives, so they need to be considered.
 * 15) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Identify what information – or additional information – the teachers need to be fully informed.
 * 16) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The teacher needs to consider factors that are outside his/her influence that will affect the outcome.
 * 17) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The football friendly culture of Texas
 * 18) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Size of the city
 * 19) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The school's size, atmosphere, and culture.
 * 20) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The teacher needs to ask other teachers in the school how the conflict of balancing extracurricular activities and academics has been handled in the past.
 * 21) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The teacher would need to become educated about district policies and state laws regarding what grades are needed to be eligible to take part in extracurricular activities.
 * 22) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">See if there are any exemptions to the rule.
 * 23) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Develop several (at least 2) possible courses of action or alternatives.
 * 24) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Option 1) Do what your principal says, even if you do not agree with it.
 * 25) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Option 2) Tell your principal that you will not be giving the student an “A” for not attending your class. If the student wants to pass and continue playing football, he needs to do the work for all of his classes. He will not be getting special treatment from you.
 * 26) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Option 3) Do not confront the principal to tell him you will not give the student a grade he did not earn. Instead, pretend to agree with him to delay further confrontation.
 * 27) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Option 4) Sit down with your principal and discuss this situation. Let them know that you do not want to give the student an “A” if they are not attending and doing the work, but present some options for a tutoring program, perhaps before school, that the student could attend so that he would still be earning the grade and not just receiving it.
 * 28) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">For each alternative, identify the different effects- This information is covered for all four options in the //Decision Tree// tab on the right-hand side of the wiki.
 * 29) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Name any Supreme Court Cases and their rulings and/or legal terms that might apply to the given situation.
 * 30) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Many of the cases listed below relate to what is known as Academic Freedom, where the teacher has the right to teach whatever they see fit in the manner they see fit. This idea is used more in college-level teaching, but there are a few cases at the elementary and secondary level, and a few that relate to assigning grades based on work.
 * 31) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">One case at the university level was Parate v. Isibor (1986). This case dealt an administrator who ordered a professor to change the final grade of one of his students. The professor sued, claiming violation of his First Amendment academic freedom. The court held that under the free speech clause, "[b]ecause the assignment of a letter grade is symbolic communication intended to send a specific message to the student, the individual professor's communicative act is entitled to some measure of First Amendment protection." The court also held, however, that the university administrators could have changed the student's grade themselves; the unconstitutional act was compelling the professor to change the grade.
 * 32) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">At the elementary level, the case of Settle v. Dickson County School Board (1995) is a good one to review. A teacher at Dickson County Junior High School assigned a research paper to students. Each student was to sign up for the topic of his or her choice, which then required approval of any changes. Brittany Settle, a student in the class, originally signed up for a paper about drama, but later changed her topic to "The Life of Jesus" without approval. The teacher refused to accept Ms. Settle's paper and, when she refused to write on another topic, the student received a zero for the assignment. After exhausting the appeals process within the school system, Ms. Settle's father brought suit against the school, claiming that his daughter's free speech rights had been infringed. The teacher defended herself by providing six reasons for her decision. While this case dealt more the first amendment rights of the student, it does uphold the idea that the teacher decides the grades based on the work. The reasoning of the court upheld that teachers must retain control over their classrooms and their curriculum. This includes authority over grades and assignments.
 * 33) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The Texas legislature’s senate bill 2033, an amendment to section 1 chapter 28 of the Texas Education code, is most relevant. Fully enacted in September of 2009, this bill relates to the adoption of a school district grading policy. //This law states that a school district shall adopt a grading policy, including provisions for the assignment of grades on class assignments and examinations, before each school year.// A district grading policy:
 * 34) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Must require a classroom teacher to assign a grade that reflects the student’s relative mastery of an assignment;
 * 35) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">May not require a classroom teacher to assign a minimum grade for an assignment without regard to the student’s quality of work; and
 * 36) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">May allow a student a reasonable opportunity to make up or redo a class assignment or examination for which the student received a failing grade.
 * 37) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Even if a school district’s grading policy had more detail in this, it is unlikely that a policy granting administrators the right to assign students grades for non-attendance would ever be accepted. Therefore, the teacher could reasonably argue in refusing to give the student an “A” when they are not attending class that this was in perfect agreement with the school districts grading policy.
 * 38) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Take Action. Identify what action you would take.
 * 39) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">After thinking critically about the short-term and long-term consequences, as well as the various costs, Group 1 thinks the best action to take would be Option 4. We would would work with the principal, coach, student, and the student’s parents to determine why the student would be unable to attend class and play football in order to find a compromise where, as a team, we could schedule or arrange for something that would allow the student to play and pass the class.
 * 40) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Evaluate the action of the decision you have made and identify how it conforms to the Texas Code of Ethics.
 * 41) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The decision would conform to the Texas Code of Ethics because the teacher would not be falsifying student grade records, and the teacher would not violate federal, state, or local laws and policies by giving the student a grade matching student effort and participation. Federal law protects the teacher's right to award grades based on work.
 * 42) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Furthermore, UIL eligibility requirements and district eligibility policy states that accreditation can be revoked if policy is violated. UIL is governed by state legislature and outranks district policy.
 * 43) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Make a commitment statement that identifies how you will assume responsibility for the consequences of the action you have decided to take.
 * 44) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">List what might be or could be negative consequences of your action (if applicable).
 * 45) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">(11 and 12) As a representative of this school district, and of the department of education, I pride myself on my ethics and morals regarding the preparation of students for the future. I believe by awarding a grade that was not fully earned it would be a disservice to the student. This behavior would include falsifying legal documentation, violating district and state policy, and violating UIL eligibility for the school district, and student; as well as tarnishing the reputation of all parties involved. I understand that by refusing to participate in this action, I am subject to judgment by the district, community, and coworkers. I trust that those judgments will take into consideration my upholding of the reputation of all parties mentioned.
 * 46) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Develop a plan about how you will make any correction of any negative consequences or wrong decision you may make.
 * 47) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">There is a limited number of noticeable negative consequences from taking action based on Option 4. One of the negative consequences would be angry parents or coworkers because they have been given more work because of the IPE that was proposed. The best way to handle confrontation from this would be with maturity and patience.